The present invention relates to an automatic apparatus which acts automatically, method for generating an action of the automatic apparatus, information serving apparatus and method for storing information and serving a variety of information, robotic apparatus which acts autonomously, method for generating an action of the robotic apparatus, and a commercial transaction system and method in which the robotic apparatus is utilized.
Recently, there have been proposed robotic apparatuses each capable of autonomously deciding its own behavior correspondingly to its surrounding environment and internal state. Such robots include for example a type which can have a pseudo-emotion and -instinct (will be referred to as xe2x80x9cemotionxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cinstinctxe2x80x9d hereunder) which are changed according to its environment and internal state, and behave correspondingly to such changes in emotion and instinct, that is, can reflect changes of its emotion and instinct in its action.
The action of the robotic apparatus will add to the fun of a user which enjoys playing with the robotic apparatus. Therefore, it has been more demanded by the users that the robotic apparatus can provide a wider variety of actions.
On the other hand, if the users"" demands for such a wide variety of actions of the robotic apparatuses can be linked to another aspect, for example, to an enhanced motivation to purchase a certain merchandise or product which can be used with the robotic apparatus, the industries of the art will rise to prosperity. For example, if the robotic apparatus can be designed to act in response to a certain object (product), the latter will add to the user""s enjoyment in playing with his or her robotic apparatus since the robotic apparatus can act in a correspondingly increased number of manners, and purchase by the users of such specific product will result in an increased sale by a manufacturer from which the specific product is available.
Accordingly, the present invention has an object to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art by providing an automatic apparatus which can automatically act in various manners and motivate the user of the automatic apparatus to purchase more products to the latter, a method for generating an action of the automatic apparatus, an information serving apparatus and method, a robotic apparatus, a method for generating an action of the robotic apparatus, and a commercial transaction system and method.
The above object can be attained by providing an automatic apparatus including: an attribute storage unit to store information on the attribute of a product; a product-related information reader to read, from a product, at least one of at least two pieces of information stored on the product and which concern the attribute of the latter; an information comparator to make a comparison between the information stored in the attribute storage unit and information read from the product-related information reader; the automatic apparatus being arranged to act in a predetermined manner when there is found a coincidence between the information as the result of comparison made in the information comparator.
In the automatic apparatus thus constructed, the product-related information reader reads, from a product, at least one of at least the two pieces of information stored on the product and which concern the attribute of the latter, and the information comparator makes a comparison between the information stored in the attribute storage unit and information read from the product-related information reader. When there is found a coincidence between the information as the result of comparison made by the information comparator, the automatic apparatus acts in the predetermined manner.
Thus, the automatic apparatus makes a predetermined action, as a robotic apparatus, based on the information stored on the product and concerning the attribute of the latter.
Also, the above object can be attained by providing a method for generating an action of an automatic apparatus, the method including steps of: reading, from a product, at least one of two pieces of information stored on the product and which concern the attribute of the latter; making a comparison between information pre-stored in an attribute storage unit and information read in the product-related information reading step; and allowing the automatic apparatus to act in a predetermined manner when there is found a coincidence between the information as the result of comparison made in the information comparing step.
By the method for generating an action of the automatic apparatus, the automatic apparatus such as a robotic apparatus is allowed to act in the predetermined manner based on the information stored on the product and which concerns the attribute of the latter.
Also, the above object can be attained by providing an information server including a sender to send information on the attribute of a product, cumulatively stored in an attribute storage unit included in an automatic apparatus, to a communication unit also included in the automatic apparatus; the automatic apparatus including: the attribute storage unit to store information on the attribute of a product; a product-related information reader to read, from a product, at least one of at least two pieces of information stored on the product and which concern the attribute of the latter; an information comparator to make a comparison between information stored in the attribute storage unit and information read from the product-related information reader; and the communication unit to store information into the attribute storage unit.
In the information server, the product attribute information sender sends information on the product attribute to the communication unit in the automatic apparatus, and in the automatic apparatus, the communication unit receives the attribute information sent from the sender in the information server and stores it into the attribute storage unit.
Also, the above object can be attained by providing an information serving method in which information on the attribute of a product is sent to a communication unit included in an automatic apparatus; the automatic apparatus including: an attribute storage unit to store information on the attribute of a product; a product-related information reader to read, from a product, at least one of at least two pieces of information stored on the product and which concern the attribute of the latter; an information comparator to make a comparison between information stored in the attribute storage unit and information read from the product-related information reader; and the communication unit to store information into the attribute storage unit.
By the above method, information on the attribute of a product is sent to the communication unit in the automatic apparatus and thus the communication unit in the automatic apparatus in the automatic apparatus receives the sent attribute information and stores it into the attribute storage unit.
Also, the above object can be attained by providing an information server which reads attribute information sent from a communication unit included in an automatic apparatus and sends, to the communication unit, action-generation information intended to generate a predetermined action of the automatic apparatus when the read attribute information coincides with predetermined information; the automatic apparatus including: a product-related information reader to read, from a product, at least one of two pieces of information stored on the product and which concern the attribute of the latter; a controller to generate an action; and the communication unit to supply the controller with information intended to generate an action of the automatic apparatus, acquire the attribute information read by the product-related information reader and send the acquired attribute information.
In the information server thus constructed, the attribute information sent from the communication unit in the automatic apparatus is read, and when the read attribute information coincides with the predetermined information, the action-generation information intended to generate the predetermined action is sent to the communication unit of the automatic apparatus. Then, the automatic apparatus generates an action by means of the controller on the basis of the action-generation information.
Also, the above object can be attained by providing an information serving method including steps of: reading attribute information sent from a communication unit included in an automatic apparatus; and sending, to the communication unit, action-generation information intended to generate a predetermined action of the automatic apparatus when the read attribute information coincides with predetermined information; the automatic apparatus including: a product-related information reader to read, from a product, at least one of two pieces of information stored on the product and which concern the attribute of the latter; a controller to generate an action; and the communication unit to supply the controller with information intended to generate an action of the automatic apparatus, acquire the attribute information read by the product-related information reader and send the acquired attribute information.
By the above information serving method, the attribute information sent from the communication unit in the automatic apparatus is read, and when the read attribute information coincides with the predetermined information, the action-generation information intended to generate the predetermined action is sent to the communication unit in the automatic apparatus. Then, in the automatic apparatus, an action is generated by the controller on the basis of the action-generation information.
Also, the above object can be attained by providing a robotic apparatus of an autonomous type which acts autonomously based on an external factor and/or an internal factor, the apparatus including: a memory having stored therein information on a contract made between a manufacturer or distributor of the robotic apparatus and a third party; the robotic apparatus reading information stored on a product and which concerns at least a supply source of the product; and the robotic apparatus generating a predetermined action or reaction when the supply source is found from the contract-related information to have made a predetermined contract with the manufacturer or distributor.
The above robotic apparatus will generate the predetermined action or reaction when the supply source of the product is ascertained based on the contract-related information stored in the memory to have made the predetermined contract with the robotic apparatus manufacturer or distributor.
Also, the above object can be attained by providing a method for generating an action of an autonomous type robotic apparatus which acts autonomously based on an external factor and/or internal factor, in which: the robotic apparatus has a memory having stored therein information on a contract made between a manufacturer or distributor of the robotic apparatus and a third party; the method comprising steps of: reading information stored on a product and which concerns at least a supply source of the product; and generating a predetermined action or reaction when the supply source is found from the contract-related information stored in the memory to have made a predetermined contract with the manufacturer or distributor.
By the robotic apparatus action-generation method, the robotic apparatus acts or reacts in a predetermined manner when the supply source is found from the contract-related information stored in the memory to have made the predetermined contract with the manufacturer or distributor.
Also, the above object can be attained by providing a commercial transaction system including: a robotic apparatus manager that manages a robotic apparatus so that the robotic apparatus acts or reacts when it detects predetermined information; a product distributor that acquires the predetermined information under a contact having been made with the robotic apparatus manager, appends it to a product for sale to a user of the robotic apparatus; and the robotic apparatus which detects the predetermined information appended to the product purchased by the user and acts or reacts in a predetermined manner based on the detected predetermined information.
In the above commercial transaction system, the robotic apparatus is managed by the robotic apparatus manager to act or react based on the detected predetermined information, the predetermined information acquired under the contract made with the robotic apparatus manager is appended to the product and sold to the user by the product distributor, the robotic apparatus detects the predetermined information appended to the product purchased by the user and acts or reacts in the predetermined manner based on the detected information. That is, the robotic apparatus will acts or reacts in the predetermined manner in response to the contract-based product on the basis of the predetermined information. On the other hand, the product is purchased by the user for such an action or reaction of his or her robotic apparatus.
Also, the above object can be attained by providing a commercial transaction method in which a product distributor that sells a product makes a contract with a robotic apparatus manager that manages a robotic apparatus so that the robotic apparatus acts or reacts based on detected predetermined information; the product distributor acquires predetermined information under the contract and appends it to the product for sale to a user; and the robotic apparatus detects the predetermined information appended to the purchased product and acts or reacts in a predetermined manner on the basis of the detected predetermined information.
By the above commercial transaction method, the robotic apparatus is allowed act or react in the predetermined manner in response to the contract-based product on the basis of the predetermined information. On the other hand, the product is purchased by the user for such an action or reaction of his or her robotic apparatus.